A Question of Caste: Including Dalits in Global Politics
Author(s):
Vivek Kumar
Year:
2011
Themes:
Including the Excluded in Global Politics
A Question of Caste: Including Dalits in Global Politics
Vivek Kumar
Exclusion on the basis of caste – and marginalisation of Dalits in
particular – tends to be understood as a national problem of India or
as a regional problem of South Asia. Yet caste politics also have
important global aspects. Exclusion of Dalits extends beyond the local
to the global arena, and strivings for Dalit empowerment have
important global components.
Caste is a system of hierarchically arranged closed groups which marry
within themselves. There are thousands of castes, but they can be
encapsulated in a fivefold social structure called the Varna system.
Four of the five Varnas find mention in the Rigveda, one of the sacred
texts of Hinduism. These are the Brahmin (preacher), the Rajnya
(ruler), the Vaishya (trader), and the Shudra (service provider). The
fifth group, which is not mentioned in the religious writings, has
been called by different names: for example, Achuts (untouchables –
those who cannot be touched by others); Antvasin (the last to reside);
and Panchama (the fifth order). The self-designated name 'Dalit' arose
in the 1970s with the Dalit Panther movement (inspired by the Black
Panthers in the USA). 'Dalit' in Hindi means 'broken' or 'ground to
pieces', because of exclusion and exploitation by so-called upper
castes.
Dalits were denied every right – social, economic, political,
educational, religious – for several thousand years. After long
struggle, the Constitution of independent India passed in 1950
abolished untouchability. Thereafter Dalits were accorded equal
citizen's rights, giving them access to political, bureaucratic and
educational institutions. Government enacted legislation to punish
those guilty of ill treatment to former untouchables, and special
official schemes were instituted for their uplift.
In practice, however, much exclusion of Dalits has continued. Although
Dalits constitute approximately 200 million of the total population of
India, they have but a meagre presence in the bureaucracy, judiciary,
university, industry, and media. Moreover, so-called upper castes
still commit widespread violence against Dalits. In the period
1991-2001 the Government of India registered 323,072 cases of atrocity
against Dalits. On average two Dalits are murdered and three Dalit
women are raped every day.
Caste-based exclusion of Dalits has extended to the worldwide Indian
Diaspora as well. Here, too, caste discrimination exists in the
workplace, educational institutions and everyday interactions.
So-called upper castes have refused to employ or work under Dalits in
senior positions. Dalits have suffered ridicule of their caste-based
names in schools, places of worship, and neighbourhoods. Indian
matrimonial centres and websites that cater specially for the Indian
Diaspora have classified prospective brides and grooms on the basis of
castes and sub-castes.
Dalits have had mixed fortunes in contemporary globalization. On the
negative side they have been marginalised in multinational
corporations, international NGOs, global governance institutions, and
the globally oriented information technology industry. Dalits have
generally lacked the educational foundations and international
exposure to gain access to these global arenas. Dalits have also lost
jobs in the 1990s when neoliberal global restructuring in India
brought a withdrawal of the state, their largest employer.
Yet other aspects of globalization have brought more visibility to
Dalit struggles. Through the International Dalit Solidarity Network,
established in 2000, NGOs have highlighted the plight of Dalits at
global forums. Literate Dalit professionals have globally promoted
several Dalit icons, including Buddha, Guru Ravidas (a 14th century
Dalit Saint poet who challenged idol worship and revered a formless
god), and B.R. Ambedkar (a Dalit who chaired the Drafting Committee of
the Indian Constitution). Ambedkar is now celebrated through named
lecture series and busts at Columbia University, the London School of
Economics, San Fraser University, Manchester Metropolitan University
and the University of Calgary. Dalit movements have also exploited
global communications technologies and lower costs of global
transportation in order to raise awareness of their issues. Dalit
solidarity groups have taken their case to global governance
institutions like the United Nations Human Rights Council and global
civil society gatherings like the World Social Forum.
In sum, exclusion of Dalits is based on an age-old specific social
structure which has extended beyond its origins in India to a global
Diaspora. Countering this marginalisation requires recognition of
legitimate and special rights for Dalits, as well as their
self-representation in institutions of governance and production at
national and global levels. Policies of protective discrimination for
Dalits should be extended from the public sector to the private sector
as well. Dalit studies should be included in university curricula and
research. All such steps must be undertaken not as patronising
charity, but to ensure Dalit dignity.
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